Pneumatic heel



Feb. 1, 1938. E. BORMAN 2,106,788

PNEUMATIC HEEL Filed Aug. 14, 1956 fly?! Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PNEUMATIC HEEL Emil Borman,'0hicago, Ill. Application August 14, 1936, Serial No. 95,960

3Claims- The invention relates to rubber heels and particularly to heels of the type wherein a pneumatic compartment is provided as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,383,067 issued June 28, 1921.

It is an object of the invention to provide a rubber heel wherein the bottom wall is concavo-convex with the peak of curvature slightly to the rear of the heel center so that the greatest amount of resiliency is provided where the impact upon taking a step occurs.

A further object aims at providing the concavoconvex bottom wall with ribs so that reinforcements are provided which simultaneously act as anti-skid means.

Another object aims at providing a cover for closing the pneumatic compartment of slightly larger dimension than the opening, so as to produce a press-fit.

A still further object aims at providing a cover with reinforcements at its lower side.

With these and other equally important objects in view, whichwill become apparent upon a perusal of the invention, the latter comprises the means described in the following specification, 25 particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part thereof, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a shoe showing the improved heel attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the heel.

. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the heel with the cover removed to expose the pneumatic compartment.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the heel cover, 35 and Fig. 5 is a cross section through the heel.

Referring to the several views in the drawing, III designates a shoe having the improved heel generally designated by H secured thereto in 40 any approved or preferred manner.

The heel ll comprises a side wall I2 which upstands from the comparatively fiat marginal portion of a bottom plate l3. The.body portion of the bottom plate is concavo-convex having an 5 oval curvature with the peak slightly back of the center of the heel so that the chamber defined in the heel by the curvature of the bottom plate has the largest dimension where the peak is situated to thus provide maximum resiliency 50 where the impact in taking a step occurs.

The bottom plate is also provided with exterior ribs H which serve as a reinforcement and prevent skidding on wet ground The side wall I! is slightly undercut at the 55 inner side as at l5 and defines an opening in which a cover or cap it is received. The cover I6 is slightly larger than the opening defined by the side wall so that in assembly pressure is necessary and a press fit is obtained between the cover and the side.

The cover is cemented or vulcanized in position and, in addition, its beveled edge l1 corresponding to the undercut side wall, insures a practically air tight joint.

The cover It has formed on its lower side a 10 plurality of annular ribs l8 serving as a rein- Iorcement for the cover which is also of concavo-convex construction.

The reinforcing ribs is are provided to prevent sagging of the cover when in constant contact 15 with the member 23 of the shoe and maintains the cover under tension so as to insure a continuous tight contact with member 23. If preferred, straight ribsor spiral ribs may be provided.

a The heel is provided with a plurality of apertures 20, for the reception of nails used in securing the heel to the shoe, and the concavoconvex construction of the cover affords an intimate contact between the heel and the part of 5 the shoe to which the heel is secured.

In use, the heel, when engaging the ground, is first compressed at the place where the greatest curvature of the bottom plate occurs, causing a consequent compression of the air in cham- 30 her 2|, whereby the impact due to the taking of a step is cushioned.

In leaving the ground, the air under pressure will cause the bottom plate to resume normal position, so that the next step will again be cushioned and thus relieve the strain of jars or impacts incident to walking.

While the drawing shows a preferred embodiment'of the invention, numerous changes and alterations may be made without departing from 40 the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not limit myself to the details of construction and arrangement of parts, as shown, but wish to include all revisions, modifications and alterations constituting departures within the scope of the 5 invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pneumatic heel comprising top and bottom walls and side walls defining an inner cavity, said bottom wall being concave-convex with the greatest curvature rearward of the heel center said top wall being concave-convex and provided with reinforcements at the lower surface.

2. A pneumatic heel comprising top and botthe impact in walking occurs, and said top wall being concave-convex and provided with reinforcements at the lower surface.

3. In a pneumatieheel, a top wall being concave-convex and provided with reinforcements a at the lower surface.

EMIL BORMAN. 

